Means for constructing cisterns or the like.



No. 748,224.4 4 PATENTED DEGHZQ; `1903.

l W. SKINNER & G. LINDSEY.

MEANS POR CONSTRUCTING CISTERNS 0R THE LIKE..`

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1903.

' N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented December 29, 1903. i

t PATENT OFFICE.

MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING CISTERNS OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 748,224, dated December 29, 1903.

Application filed April 25 1903.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we,WILLIA`M SKINNER and CHARLES LINDsEY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Wellington, in the county of Sumner and 'State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Constructing Oisterns or the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to masonry construction; and it consists, substantially, in the improvements hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims. A

Though applicable to the building o'r erection of various structures of masonry, our improvements are intcndedmore especially for use in the construction of cisterns, sewers, caves, and the like; and the principal object of our invention is to provide simple'and economical means for this purpose which are both effective and reliable in use or operation besides beingeasily and quickly applied and removed and also possessing the capacity for long and repeated'service.

A further object of the invention is to provide means o f the character referred to which may be readily packed for ship-ment or storage without occupying much space and also whereby the building of cisterns and the like may be edected with rapidity and security. The above and additional objects are attained by means substantially such as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts .in all the figures.

Figure lis a sectional View showing the application of our improved means in the building or erection of an underground cistern or sewer, the said means being represented in elevation in the completed form thereof Fig. 2 is an inner side view of two of the body or side sections of our improvements, together with two arch-sections thereof, and showing one form of movable and detachable con nection of the latter with the former. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 4 l of Fig. 2.

Before proceeding with a more detailed description it may be stated that in the embodiment of our improvements herein shown we preferably employ a plurality of metallic .sereine 154,263. (No model.)

` body-sections of any desired height, said sections being of special construction and so ,united or joined Atogether in use as to constitute a hollow cylindrical body of external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the cistern or other structure to be built, and movably and detachably connected4 to the upper-edges of said. body-sections` are a plurality of convergent or arch sections, alsoof special construction and cooperatively organized in such manner as to be practically self-sustaining in the position it is intended they shall occupy relatively to 4said body-sections in the formation of a convergent or arched roof of the cistern or similar structure, all as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

While we have herein illustrated a certain preferred embodiment of our improvements, it will be understood, of course, that we do notlimitourselves to the precise details thereof in practice, since immaterial changes therein may be resorted to coming within the scope of our invention.

`Specific reference beinghad to the drawings by the designating characters thereon, 5 represents the inner side surface of an excavation 6 in which the cistern is to be built or erected, the diameter between the walls of such excavation being somewhat in excess of `the diameter between the walls of the cistern or similar structure when completed, and, as shown in Fig. 1, our improved means are represented as having been put together for the purpose of placing around the saine a cement, plaster, concrete,or other wall 7, constituting the wall of the completed cistern. Said means comprise or are made up of a plurality of vertical body-sections 8, preferablyot' metal, each section being slightly curved horizontally, as indicated at 9a in Fig. 4, so that when put together the said sections constitute practically a hollow cylinder, asis apparent. Said sections 8 arealso each `constructed at each vertical edge thereof with an inwardly-projecting flange 9, thesedanges of successive sections being brought together at 10 and rmly but detachably connected by means of screw-bolts 11, passing therethrough at suitable intervals, each bolt being tightly secured by means of a nut 12. (See Fig. 2.) ln order to strengthen each body-section S, we may ap- IOO or loops 2 0I from the hooks 19 .temporary fastening ply a metallic angle-strip 13 in the inner angle formed with the section by each flange 9, and likewise we may also apply across the innersurface of each bod y-section at suitable intervals thereof an angle-strip 14, connecting said angle-strips 13', as shown, the said several angle-strips being secured to the material of the body-section by means of rivets 15 or in any other suitable way. Each bodysection 8 is also formedor provided at its upvper edge with a flange (or similar angle-strip) 16, having secured thereto and projectinginwardly therefrom, preferably, two hooks 17 and 18, and movably and detachably connecting with the said upper1 end of said body-section is the lower end of an upwardly-tapering arch-section 19, having secured to its inner surface duplicate eyes or loops 20, which are slipped over or upon said hooks, as shown. Each of said arch-sections is of the desired curvature and is formed or provided at the edges thereof with strengthening-danges 21, which match the corresponding flanges of adjacent similar sections, and these said archsections are also each formed or provided on their inner surfaces with horizontally-disposed strengthening angle-strips 22, secured to the material of the section by means of rivets 23 or in any other preferred way.` In this manner it will be seen that the arch-sections converge together at their upper ends, and

in virtue of the construction and organization thereof described they each tend to support the others, so as to render the entire or united archstructure to be self-sustaining against collapsing under the weight of the cement or concrete which may be applied upon the same in the .formation of the cistern. Aftersuch cement or concrete has suflciently hardened the arch-sections may be turned down and then removed by slipping the eyes of the dierent body-sections, and these latter sections may also be readily removed one by one, as is apparent,leaving Athefcement or concrete structure intact. If desired, we may employ a 24 between anges 2l of-adjacent arch-sections to assist in maintaining said sections against collapse, and we may sometimes also use a temporary inner prop, (not shown;) but the use of these two said elements is not essential.

Having thus described our invention, We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentg 1. In the construction. of arched cisterns and the like, the combination of a plurality of .body-sections detachably joined together in correspondence with the side walls of the cistern to be formed, arch-sections mounted upon the upper ends of the body-sections,

`and hook-and-eye connections between said body and arch sections, the latter being provided with means to prevent collapse thereof from weight imposed thereon, and said means consisting of borizontally-disposed strips secured to the inner surfaces of the said sections.

2. In-the construction of arched cisterns and the like, the combination of a plurality of body-sections detachably joined 4together in correspondence with the side walls of the cistern to be formed, arch-sections mounted upon the upper ends of the body-sections, and hook-and-eye connections between said body and arch sections.

3. n the construction of arched cisterne and the like, the combination of a plurality of body-sections detachably joined together in correspondence with the side walls of the cistern to be formed, arch-sections mounted upon the upper ends of the body-sections, and hook-and-eye connections between said body and arch sections, the arch-sections being constructed to prevent collapse thereof from weight imposed thereon.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SKINNER. CHARLES LINDSEY. Witnesses:

CLEO D. BURNETTE, MORA BARNES. 

